Distributer for ignition devices.



DISTRIBUTER FOR IGNITION DEVICES.

APPLICATION HLED SEPT. I5, 191s.

1 ,26 1,048. Patented Apr. 18,.

2 SHEETS-ISH C. T. MASON.

Dis'rRlBuTER FOR IGNlTloN DEVICES.

SEP 15 1916 1,261,048. Patented Ap.. 1918, 2 EEEE TS-SHET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES THOMAS MASON, 0F SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO SPLITDORFELECTRICAL COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

DISTRIBUTER FOR IGNITION DEVICES.

Patented Apr. a, 191s.

Application led September 15, 1916. Serial No. 120,327.

To all whom t may Concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES THOMAS MA- soN, a citizen'of the UnitedStates, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of SouthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDistributers for Ignition Devices, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

vThe invention relates to new and useful improvements in distributersfor ignition devices or systems, and more particularly to a distributerfor high tension currents.

The invention is particularly useful in distributing in a simple andefficient manner high tension current toa plurality oftranslatingdevices, suchas the spark plugs in an internal combustion gasengine. prior application, Serial N o. 35,155, filed July 19, 1916, Ihave shown, described and claimed a method and apparatus for generatingand distributing electric current in connection with an ignition systemfor a gas engine, and the present invention is an improvement on thedistributing device shown therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a distributer of the abovetype, wherein the central stem or trunk conductor is connected bysuitable devices at proper intervals to terminals disposed on the innerface of a cylindrical casing or shell, which terminals are in turnconnected to cables at the end of the casing for distributing thecurrent to suitable translating` devices or spark plugs.

A further object of the invention is to l provide a distributer of theabove character wherein the central stem or trunk conductor hisstationary, and wherein the devices between the trunk conductor and theterminals are so constructed and arranged as to provide a double gap ineach circuit when broken.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a distributer ofthe above character with means for holding the same attached to thecurrent generating device in such a manner that the various parts of thedistributer are held in rigid relation to each other and, at the sametime, the outer casing of the distributer may be quickly removed byreleasing several holding nuts.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part behereinafter more fully disclosed.

In myV thereto, the distributer and a part of the magneto being insection;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the magneto;

kFig. 3 is a perspective view of the rotary part of the distributer;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fixed part of the distributer; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the operation of thedevice.

In the present embodiment of the invention, I have shown my improveddistributer as applied to a magneto which may be of any suitable type.The type illustrated is that of the Well-known Dixie construction. Themagneto is indicated at 1 in the drawings, and has a generating coil,indicated at 2, which is provided with a high tension terminal 3 adaptedto make contact with a spring-pressed pin 4 in the contact stem or trunkconductor 5. This trunk conductor 5 is supported in an insulatedbushing' 6, which in turn is carried by a sleeve 7 formed integral witha member 8 attached to the casing of the magneto.

The inner flanged portion of the member 8 supports an insulation 9 whichsurrounds the pin i and thereby prevents the current from jumping fromthe terminal 3 to the adjacent magnet, indicated at 10, or other partsof the machine. A safetv spark gap is indicated at 11 so that in casethe voltage is excessive the current may jump from the upper point 11 tothe adjacent magnet.

The frame work 12 of the magneto onto which is attached the member 8also forms a housing for the operating gear 13 which drives thedistributer. This gear 13 1s 1n mesh with a driving gear 14 on theoperating shaft 15 of the magneto, and the shaft 15 is driven from theengine shaft when the magneto is used in connection with an internalcombustion engine.

The distributer proper conslsts of a rotary part, indicated at 18, and axed casing or are shown at 19, 20, 21 and 22.. These brushes areyieldingltl mounted 1n wells or recesses formed in e rotatlng art andtheir outward movement is limite by suitable means. The brushes 19 and2O are electricallyconnected in an suitable 'manner, while the brushes21 an 22l are likewise connected.

'The casing 23 constituting the fixed part of the distributer carries asuitable number of contacts, depending upon the number of enginecylinders to be served. In the drawings, I have shown the distrlbuter asarranged for a twelve cylinder engine. At the end of the shell or casing23 there are twelve cable connections, which are designated 24 to 241,both inclusive. These cable connections are ada ted to be connected torespective spark p ug cables. The cable connections extend into thecasing or shell 23 and terminate at their inner ends in segments, someof which are shown at 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29. These segments areoppositely staggered in two rows, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings. The segments, as above stated, are shown at intervals havingconnecting pieces 30 and 31, but it is to be understood that they may beotherwise connected to the cable connections at the end of the shell orcasing. l

The rotating casing or part 23 is provided with a shoulder 32 whichengages an annular ring or fiange in the casing 12 whereby said part 23is positioned with its axis concentric with that of the rotating part18. The casing 12 has projecting ears 33, 34, 35 and 36 provided, withsuitable posts or threaded stems adapted to "engage the outwardlyprojecting arms of a spider 37 which presses upon the end cap 33 whichcloses the end of the casing. These posts or stems receive suitable nutswhich secure the cap to the casing 23, and the casing 23 to the framework of the machine. This simple supporting means holds the parts of thedistributer in rigid relation to each other and yet by loosening thefour nuts the outer casing of the distributer may be instantly removed;It will be understood, of course, that the rotary part 18, the casing23, and the cap 38, also the bushing 6, are all made of suitableinsulating material.

Within the inner surface of the cap 38 is embedded the distributervplate 39 which is formed with a central portion having radiallyextending spaced arms, as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. For atwelvecylinder engine, said distributer plate will be provided with sixarms. The outer end of the trunk conductor or stem 5 is provided with ayielding contact pin 40 which is adapted to press against thedistributer plate 39 at the center thereof. The distributer plate 39through this trunk conductor is continuously in connection with ond pairof brushes. The contacts or terminals on the inner faceof the shell orcasing 23 are arranged in two circular rows. The outer row of contactsare numbered 427 tov 29, inclusive, whilethe inner row of contacts arenumbered 26 to 28, inclusive. The relative position of the parts isindicated in the diagrammatic view 1n Fig. 5, where the high tensioncoil 41 is shown as connected through the trunk conductor 5 to thedistributer plate 39. The brushes 21 and 22'are indicated as connectedby a line 31, while the brushes 19 and 20 are connected b a line 30. Thebrushes 19 and 22 are adapted' to enga the arms of the distributer plate39 as sald brushes rotate. These brushes, however, are so spaced thatthey engage alternately with these arms, that is to say, only one brushis in engagement with an arm at a given time. The brushes 21 and 20coperate respectively with the inner and outer rows of contacts orterminals of the casing, and these brushes are also so disposed as toengage the contacts in their respective rows alternately.

When the brush 19 is in contact with one of the arms of the distributerplate 39, then the brush 2O is also inengagement with the contact orterminal 26, and thus current is supplied to the translating device orspark plug, which is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5 at 42. At thistime, the brush 21 is out of engagement vwith the terminal or contact27. When the brush 22 has moved so as to engage one of the arms of thedistributer plate 39, then the brush 19 hasmoved out of engagement withthis arm; likewise the brush 21 has moved into engagement with theterminal 27, and the brush 20 has moved out of engagement with theterminal 26'. It will thus be seen that as the brushes rotate, therespective pairs are alternately and respectively connected with theinner and outer rows of terminals which lead to the translating devicesor spark plugs, and when the circuitis broken between the distributingplate 39 and a spark plug, it is broken in two places, forming a doublegap. It is understood, of course, that one terminal of the high tensioncoil is grounded, and one terminal of the spark plug is grounded, thuscompleting the circuit.

While I have described my improved distributer as attached to a magnetoas h. source for a generating current, it will be understood that fromcertain aspects of the invention, the distributer may be connected withany other source of current, in which case the trunk conductor wouldreceive the current from the current supplying source. When my improveddistributer is used for distributing high tension current lto atwelve-cylinder engine, the shaft of the dis- -tributer is rotated atone-half of the speed la rotor with four spaced prongs which operate tofurnish four maximum peaks of current or E. M. F. in the followingmanner:

rlhe shaft of the magneto is rotated one and one-half the times for eachrotation of the engine shaft, and this furnishes six maximum peaks foreach rotation of the engine shaft. The gear connections between themagneto shaft and the distributer shaft will, however,'be soproportioned that the distributer shaft has a speed ratio of one to twoof the engine shaft, that is, one rotation of they distributer shaft forevery two rotations of the engine shaft. This, of course, would give thedistributer shaft a speed ratio of onel to three of the speed of themagneto shaft, that is, the distributer shaft will rotate once while theshaft of the rotor of the magneto rotates three times.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and thearrangement of parts may be made, when desired, without departing fromthe spirit of this invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the in vention, what is claimed as new is l. Adistributer for ignition systems including in combination, a trunkconductor, a stationary casing having spaced terminals on its innerface, a, cable connection at the end of the casing for each terminal,and devices within the casing for alternately connecting the terminalsone at a time t0 said trunk conductor.

2. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, a trunkconductor, a stationary casing having spaced terminals on its innerface, a cable connection at the end of the easing for each terminal, anddevices within the casing for connecting the terminals one at a time tosaid trunk conductor, said devices being constructed and arranged so asto provide a double gap in each circuit when broken.

3. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, astationary trunk conductor, a stationary distributing plate connected tosaid trunk conductor, a stationary casing having spaced' terminals onits innerface, and devices within the easing for alternately connectingthe terminals one at a time with said distributer plate.

4. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, astationary trunk conductor, a stationary distributing plate connected tosaid trunk conductor, a stationary casing having spaced terminals on itsinner face, a rotating Ywart located within said casing, pairs ofbrushes carried by said rotating part, said brushes being so arranged asto ,alternately connect said terminals one at a time with saiddistributing plate.

5. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, astationary trunk conductor, a stationary distributing plate connected tosaid trunk conductor, a stationary casing having spaced terminals on itsinner face, said terminals on the inner face of said casing beingarranged in circular rows, a rotating part Within said casing, pairs ofbrushes carried thereby, said brushes being so disposed that one brushof each pair alternately engages said distributing plate, and the otherbrushes of said pair alternately and respectively engage the terminalsin said rows.

6.' A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, astationary distributer plate having spaced radial arms, a stationarycasing having terminals arranged in circular rows, a cable connectionfon' each terminal, a rotating part located within the casing andcarrying pairs of brushes, one brush in each pair being adapted toengage the distributer plate, said brushes engaging said armsalternately, while the other brushes of each pair engage respectivelyand alternately the terminals in the two circular rows.

7 A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, a fixedcasing having a circular row of terminals on its inner face, a cableconnection for each terminal, an annular rotating part, a cap plate forclosing the end of said casing, a distributer plate carried by the innerface of said cap plate, a bushing extending through said annularrotating part, a trunk conductor extending through said bushing andhaving a yielding `contact; engaging said distributer plate, saiddistributer plate having spaced radial arms, a pair of connected brushescarried by said rotating part, one of which engages said distributingplate, and the other of which engages said terminals one at a time.

8. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, anannular rotating part, a casing surrounding said part, two rows ofterminals carried by said casing on the inner face thereof, a cableconnection at the end of the casing for each terminal, a cap plate forclosing the casing, a distributer plate carried by the inner face ofsaid cap plate, a bushing extending through said rotating member, atrunk conductor extending through said bushing and engaging saiddistributer plate, pairs of brushes carried by said rotating part, onebrush in each pair being located at the end of the rotating part anddisposed so that said brushes engage alternately the radial arms of saiddistributer plate, the other brush of said pairs being adapted toproject radially from said rotating part and disposed so as to coperatewith the respective rows of terminals engaging the same alternately andvone at a time.

9. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, asupporting frame, an operating gear mounted in said supporting frame, arotating part carried thereby, a casing surrounding said rotating part,said frame having a shoulder for centering said casing relative to therotating part, terminals carried by said casing, a trunk conductor,devices carried by the rotating part for connecting the trunk conductor'one at a time to the terminals on the casing, a cap plate for closingthe end of the casing, and devices for clamping said cap plate andcasing to the supporting frame. y

10. A distributer for ignitionsystems including in combination, asupporting frame, an operating gear mounted in said supporting frame, arotating part carried thereby, a casing sui-rounding said rotating part,said frame having a shoulder for centering said casing relative to therotating part, terminals carried by said casing, a trunk conductor,devices carried by the rotating part for connecting the trunk conductorone at a time to the terminals on the casing, a cap plate for closingthe end of the casing, posts carried by the supporting frame, a spideradapted to be clamped to said posts .andengagmg said cap plate forrigidly securing l said cap platev and casing to said supporting frame.

11. A distributer for ignition systems in cluding in combination, arotating gear, a bearing sleeve on which said gear 1s mounted, a bushingextending through said sleeve and projecting from each end thereof, atrunk conductor extending through said bushing and having a yie dingcontact at its inner end adapted to engage the terminal of a hightension coil, an insulating sleeve having a flan e carried by thebearing sleeve and surroun mgthe contact with the high tension coil, arotating part carried b the gear, a fixed cylindrical casing surroun ingthe rotating part, a cap plate for closing the end of the casing,terminals carried by the casing. and adapted to be connected withtranslating devices, a distributer plate carried by the cap plate andconnected to said trunk conductor, and devices for connecting saiddistributer plate with said terminals onel at a time.

12. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, arotating gear, a bearing sleeve on which said gear is mounted, a bushingextending through said sleeve and projecting from each end thereof, atrunk conductor extending through said bushing and having a yieldingcontact at its inner end adapted to enga e the terminal of a hightension coil, an insu ating sleeve having a flange carried by thebearing sleeve and surrounding the contact with the high tension coil, arotating part carried by the gear, a fixed cylindrical casingsurrounding the rotating part, a cap plate for closing the end of thecasing, terminals carried by the-- casing and adapted to be connectedwith translating devices, a distributer plate carried by the cap plateand connected to said trunk conductor, a pair of brushes carried by therotating part, said distributer plate having spaced radial arms, andsaid terminals bein disposed in two circular rows, said brus es beingarranged so that one brush in each pair alternately engagesthe radialarms of said distributer plate, while the other brushes of said pairsalternately and respectively engage the circular rows of contacts.

13. A distributer for ignition systems including in combination, arotatin gear, a rotating part consisting of an annu ar member havingparallel projections extending therefrom, said annular member havinopenings therethrough whereby the same is adapted to be secured to saidgear, a casing surrounding said rotating part, a trunk conductorextending through said rotatin part, a distributer plate with which saiconductor is connected, said distributer plate having radially extendingarms, said casing having terminals arranged in circular rows, a pair ofyielding brushes carried by the projecting portions of said rotatingpart, said brushes being so disposed that one brush in each pair engagesalternately the arms of said distributer plate, while the other brush ineach pair en ages alternately and respectively the circu ar rows of ter-Vminals.

